Light of Darkness

by Lonnie Davidson

  She quickly fixes herself. “So how do you feel? Not hurt or anything?”

  “I’m fine. A little sore but fine. Are you okay?” I take her hands and examine them.

  She smiles. “I’m fine. They’re just a little numb. Um, I’m sorry about the whole stabbing you thing.”

  I rub the spot. “It hurt like nothing I’ve ever imagined, but there are no apologies in battle,” I say with a smile.

  “You’ve been talking to mother.”

  “Yeah. She says lunch will be ready soon, and I’m freakishly hungry.”

  I start to sit up, but Valene puts her hand on my chest and pushes me back. “Hang on, Hero, your body was mush before Zel got to you. I’ll go get lunch. You rest.” I lay back as she leaves. Minutes later, she returns carrying a platter of soup and sandwiches. She helps me sit up, puts a bed table in front of me, and places my food on it. “Eat up.”

  “No need to tell me twice.” I dig right in. I devour the club sandwich but take my time with the soup. It’s hot homemade chicken noodle. My aches and pains melt away as the warm broth makes its way down my throat. “This is delicious. Tastes just like Serena’s.”

  “It’s my mother’s recipe. She’s the one who taught it to her.”

  I take a few more sips. “Speaking of your mother, she gave me praise.”

  “Not surprising. You were able to combat her top student. What did she say?”

  “That I reminded her of her master.”

  Valene’s eyes go wide with surprise. “That is strangely high praise for her.” She takes bite of her sandwich.

  “Who was her master?”

  “First, it was my grandfather, an ex-lieutenant of the demon militia. But the man she calls Master is the one she served under and taught her Nigi. Few know his real name; many call him the Betrayer, but everyone knows him as Shadow, fifth general of the demon army.” We sit in silence for a second, eating. “Hey, Hero, can I ask you something?”

  “Sure. If you answer something first.”

  “What?”

  “Why do you keep calling me Hero?”

  “Kyle, sweetie, I was going to kill Michael. No ifs, ands, or buts, yet you stopped me—and did it with no regard for your own life. That is something only a true hero would do, and believe me, I’ve seen a few. Hero.” She finishes with a smile.

  “Wow, thanks.” I clear my throat. “So, what is it that you want to know?”

  Her face turns bright pink. “I asked you this before, but do you have someone?”

  Airca crosses my mind. “There was a girl that I was trying to talk to, but we decided—I decided—we should just remain friends. So, no I don’t.”

  “Are you opposed to it?”

  “No, not at all. Why do ask?” I ask looking to her.

  She smiles, leaning over me. “Well, you do now. Do you oppose?” she asks so close to me.

  “No, not at all.”

  She puts her hand on my chest, moves it to my neck, pulls me in, and kisses me. Our lips meet, and this intense heat blankets me. My body goes numb, and all I feel is my energy colliding and melding with hers. Unlike during our battle, it’s not dense or harsh, but soft and inviting.

  After a good, long second, we pull away from one another. The sensation trails off, but with her so close, I can still feel her energy and our connection lingering between us. Her eyes are black and filled with excitement. I’m sure mine are the same. “What was that?” I ask.

  “Didn’t you see the sparks our energies caused when we were fighting? It means we’re meant for each other.”

  “Really? Is that how that works?”

  “Kind of. It’s not as cut and dry as it sounds.” She breathes deep, and her eyes return to gold. “It’s an energy connection. It’s a normal thing that happens between two things that are compatible. I’ve just never felt it so strongly before. It’s kind of intoxicating.” She bites her lip, looking at me like a snack. “They say that the connection is strongest between those of the same breed. You may be an energy demon like me.”

  “Is that a bad thing?”

  “Of course not. It’s just that energy demons are a rare breed, and quite dangerous. Including the two of us, there are only five that I know of in existence.”

  “Who else?”

  “My brother, Leo and Amber.” She goes on to explain that if two demons of different breeds were to have children, there is a chance that child would be a completely different breed of demon. But if they are of the same breed, the child will also be that breed.

  We continue to eat, but now she won’t stop staring at me. “Can I help you?”

  She tries to hide a smile. She puts her plate onto my tray, then takes the tray and puts it on my dresser. She disappears in a cloud of darkness, then appears next to me on my bed. “You sure can.” Slowly, she wraps her arms around my neck. “My hands are starting to ache, and I need an energy boost. Do you mind?”

  “Not at all.”

  We start to make out. The energy connection begins to take hold of us when the door to my room bursts open and Jason runs in. “Hey Sis, Mom wants to see—ew, gross!”

  She drops her head and sighs. “Gotta go, Hero.” She gives me one last peck on my lips.

  Valene rolls off my bed. Walking toward the door, she grabs Jason by the collar of his shirt and drags him behind her.

  “Wait, I wanted to hang out with Kyle a little.”

  “You did enough to him while he was healthy. I’m not letting you get near him while he’s injured,” she says, closing the door behind them.

  Man, what a day, what a day. A hot girl almost kills me, now she’s my girlfriend. I think this is how James Bond feels on the regular. You know what would make this moment even better?

  “Hey, Zel.”

  The door opens, and the butler stands in the doorway. “Yes, Master Kyle?”

  “Can you bring me a fruit smoothie?”

  “Of course, sir.”

  “Oh, and Zel…shaken, not stirred.”

  “How about blended, sir?”

  I sigh. “That works too.” Killjoy.

  The sound of clanking glass rings in my ears. I open my eyes to find myself, not in my bed, but sitting at a table in a white void. “Hello?” I call out.

  “Ah, you’ve finally awoken, little Shadow,” says the same voice I’ve been hearing in my dreams. On the other side of the table, a golden orb of light appears. As the orb grows bigger, it takes the shape of a human body. It gestures to the table. “Care for a game?”

  On the table is a glass chessboard. On my side are the black pieces with a white king and queen, and on my opponent’s side, the white pieces with a black king and queen, a knight, a bishop, and a pawn.

  “What is this?” I ask.

  “It’s just a game.” The thing waves its hand, and the pieces begin to move on their own, playing the game without our intervention. The black pawn moves all the way to my side of the board, becomes a queen, and moves back to the middle, taking out many of my black pieces on the way. It’s strange though; it’s moving as if all the other pieces don’t exist. Now my black pawn stands before the pseudo queen on a space out of its taking range.

  “Who are you? Why do I keep dreaming of you?”

  “Think of me as your guardian angel, pointing you in the direction fate has planned.”

  “More like pushing and dropping me.”

  “Fate can be a little rough, and it’s definitely not kind to all. Your move.” I look at the board. Only three of my pieces are left: the king, the queen, and the pawn. I don’t want to give away the power of my queen or king, so the logical choice would be to sacrifice my pawn. I push it forward, right in front of the pseudo queen. “Good move. Why make it?”

  “Maybe doing this will give me some insight into the rest of your movements.”

  It chuckles lightly. “A wise choice.’” The pseudo queen takes the pawn, and the world around me trembles, turning black. “Your choice has been made.” The game, the table, an
d the chair all vanish from under me, and I fall into the void. “Be careful, little Shadow.”

  I land hard on my back. The ground is cold, damp, and covered in mildew. I sit up to catch my breath. A light swings back and forth above me. Between my legs is a huge vase. The swinging light makes me wonder. I hold my hand out to see if this is another out-of-body experience. As the light swings back overhead, I see that I’m not casting a shadow. Even crazier, I’m transparent this time. “Well, that’s new.”

  The sound of something slamming on the floor echoes through this dark and dank place. I get to my feet. Behind me is a doorway leading down a dimly lit corridor. A dull thud rings through the corridor, then another and another. I follow the steady beat through the doorway. The farther down I walk, the louder the thuds grow, until I start to feel them. There’s a wave of power every time I hear the sound. It’s so strong even the leaky pipes fastened to the walls rattle. Near the end, the slamming sound turns into a mushing noise, like a hammer hitting something wet.

  The passageway opens to an office that’s just as grungy as the rest of this place. Slime-covered file cabinets and moldy bookcases line the walls, while fungus and more mildew hang from the ceiling and lights. A guy no taller than me, wearing sneakers, jeans, and no shirt, stands in the middle of the room, breathing hard. His fists are clenched and covered in blood. He raises his fist and brings it down with force. There’s that mushing sound again. Something falls over in front of him.

  It’s a man tied to a chair. His face is bloody, bruised, and broken, I’m sure. “I’m sorry, Magician. I can’t stop myself,” says the guy standing over him.

  “It’s okay, Heavy.” I recognize that voice.

  I take a step to the side to get a good look at the guy on the ground. His face is mashed and swollen, but I recognize him instantly. Leo. Leo’s attention goes from his attacker to me. He looks at me, confused.

  The guy turns around, looking in my direction with milky-white eyes. He has dried blood around his mouth, nose, ears, and eyes. “What are you looking at?” he asks Leo.

  He doesn’t see me. Does Leo?

  Leo spits on the ground and starts laughing. “Nothing. Just wondering when your boss is going to show up.”

  “Pick him up,” says a hoarse voice from behind me. Before I can turn and move to the side, someone walks through me. It is the oddest feeling—like being pushed and pulled apart, then coming back together. The new arrival stops and turns back around. It’s the Messenger. His face and eyes are sunken in. His skin is torn and covered in different shades of mold and decay.

  He reaches out to me with his boney hand. I step back out of his reach. “What’s wrong, Messenger? Seeing ghosts?” Leo asks.

  A sickening smile, filled with blackened teeth, spreads across the Messenger’s face. “It wouldn’t surprise me. I’ve taken my fair share of lives.” He spins around on his heels to face Heavy and Leo. “And I’m not done yet. Not until I bring them back.”

  “Do you really think we’re going to allow that?” Leo asks.

  He walks up to Leo. “You and the rebels? I would love to see you try something.”

  “Who’s to say I haven’t already?”

  “Boy, this mission was just you two, correct?”

  “Correct,” Heavy says; his voice sounds strained. “But when it comes to the Magician, there’s always something up his sleeve.”

  Leo chuckles. “Always.”

  A high-pitched ringing fills the room. The Messenger and Heavy look around for the source. Leo looks out from behind the Messenger at me and motions for me to move out of the way of the opening. He can see me. A loud popping sound echoes through the corridor, followed by a wave of energy that makes my heart race. Quickly, I jump to the side of the doorway.

  There’s another loud pop, and the room starts to rumble. Heavy jumps in front of the Messenger as fire and smoke come roaring out of the corridor, engulfing the three of them.

  After a few seconds of being smothered by smoke and fiery ash, I hear the others coughing. The smoke clears, and the Messenger holds Heavy in front of him. Heavy’s skin on the front of his body is gone, burnt down to the muscle. He tries to take a breath but collapses. The Messenger looks back at Leo. “What have you done?”

  “Compressed energy clusters. Went off when my energy hit a certain frequency. And now, your soul catalyst is gone. The thousand-plus souls that you and your goons have collected over the past decade are free.”

  “Oh, really?” The Messenger lifts his shirt, revealing a massive rotting hole in his abdomen where his stomach should be. His organs hang there, spewing liquids of different shades—green, yellow, and brown—onto the floor. He drives his hand into the disgusting mass, never taking his eyes from Leo, who is visibly disgusted. After a moment of rummaging through himself, the Messenger smiles. He pulls something the size of a mason jar from his bowels and examines it. “Hmm, it looks fine to me.”

  “You had it in you this whole time?”

  “It’s the safest place I know.” He snaps his fingers. Heavy shudders to life as if possessed and rises off the ground to his feet. He turns to the Messenger and takes a long, pained breath.

  “Take this,” the Messenger orders. Heavy takes the jar. “Come, let us go and assess the damage.” Heavy follows the Messenger down the hall.

  I look to Leo. I can see in his eyes that he’s racking his brain for what to do next. His gaze shifts from the floor to me, and then he sighs. “I know you’re there. I can sense you. Hopefully you’re on my side.” I run to his side and try to undo his restraints, but my hands just pass through them. He starts to laugh. “Well, thanks for trying. Look, if you can, get the word out to the rebellion leader, Gaia. Tell him that I failed. And tell him everything you see and hear. You got that?” I swipe my hand through his shoulder. “Good. Now make yourself scarce.”

  Heavy returns and falls to his knees, breathing hard, clearly exhausted and in tremendous pain. The Messenger walks up behind him, a smug look on his face. “You sure did cause a lot of damage. Set us back, but only a day.”

  “Please, can I die now? Living is such agony,” Heavy says, sobbing.

  The Messenger takes a handful of Heavy’s remaining hair. He pulls his head back and looks him in the eyes. “Tell me who the leader of the rebels is.”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Then you will suffer.” The Messenger pushes Heavy’s head away.

  “He truly doesn’t know. None of us do. When we go on a mission, every memory that holds any significant information is extracted. All we know are our code names and the mission objective.”

  The Messenger walks up to Leo. “Well then, if that’s the case, tell me a little bit about you. Tell me about your family,” the Messenger says with a stomach-turning smile full of rotten teeth.

  Leo spits blood into the Messenger’s face. “I’d rather die than tell you anything.”

  The Messenger continues to smile as he licks the blood from his face. Gross. “I love it when they say that.” He stands and circles Leo. “Fun fact about me, boy: I don’t need you to be alive to get what I want. Take your friend over there, for instance.”

  Leo’s eyes grow wide as he watches the Messenger. “You’re a Necros.”

  “Ah, a smart one. Then I’m guessing you know what’s next,” the Messenger says as he stops behind Leo.

  Leo’s face grows grim, and his breathing grows heavy. “Do what you will to me. You will not succeed. Someone will stop you,” Leo says, struggling to break free from the chair.

  “Are those your final words?” The Messenger wraps his hands around Leo’s chin and the top of his head.

  Leo shuts his eyes, bracing himself. “I’m sorry, Hell Cat.”

  I run forward. “Stop!” I scream. The world in front of me warps and shifts until I’m in my room. I sit in the bed, tears streaming down my face, trying to wrap my head around what just happened. “Holy crap, was that real?” A knock on the door echoes through the dark room, sta
rtling me. “Come in,” I call.

  The door bursts open. In a blurry dash, Jason runs in and flips onto the footboard of my bed. He stands tall in shorts and a gray shirt with a wolf on it. “No training today!”

  Quickly, I wipe the tears from my face. “Calm down, I know. I was there when your mom told us.”

  “I know. I’m just so excited. No katas, no push-ups, no obstacle courses from hell. Just happy, fun, relax time.” He swan-dives into the bed next to me. “You wanna hangout, spar or something?” He looks at me for a second. “Are you okay?”

  I sit on the side of my bed and wipe my face. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just a bad dream.”

  “Okay. Well, what do you say?”

  “Sorry, Jason. Your sister and I already made plans to go on a date today.”

  “Oh man, she always gets to you before I do,” he says in a pout. “Oh well, I’ll catch you later then.” He hops off the bed and walks out the door, a bit defeated. Poor Jason barely has any friends in the human world, and he tries too hard to prove himself to the adults, but he’s a good kid nonetheless.

  I lie back down and stare upward. The sky is still dark. Not a shred of sunlight. The clock on the nightstand reads four. I still haven’t gotten used to waking up this early, and I’ve been doing it for a week and a half now. My dreams don’t help at all. It’s always something dark and bloody. I’m exhausted. Closing my eyes, I hear Leo’s request to find Gaia. The alarm blares to life, shaking me awake. “All right, I’m up.”

  I dress for the hot summer day to come, then head down to the kitchen to get a bite to eat. I walk through the swinging double doors into the kitchen. Rock music fills the kitchen, and I see Zel banging his head to it. That’s different. “Um, Zel?”

  He turns around from the stove, looking surprised. His hair’s a mess, his suit wrinkled and hanging off him, and he’s wearing sandals. “Oh, good morning, Master Kyle, dude,” he says, sounding like a mixture of a stereotypical surfer and a stoner from a bad comedy.

  “Morning, Zel. Are you okay?”

  “Yeah. I’m, like, totally copacetic, man. Thanks for asking. How about you? You seem pretty down.”